Monday's showdown between Alabama and Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game will be the continuation of a rivalry that started three years ago.

Their fourth playoff meeting in consecutive years comes after they split two previous matchups in the title game in the 2015 and 2016 season. Alabama won last year's semifinal.

This will be the third title in four years if the Tide prevail and second in three seasons for the Tigers should they win. If history holds, this should be another memorable and close matchup between the teams. The previous two title games were decided by less than a touchdown.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was brilliant in Clemson’s Cotton Bowl win over Notre Dame. He was so good, in fact, it’s easy to forget that he is a true freshman. But that point is an important one: No true freshman quarterback has beaten Nick Saban’s team since 2007, his first year in Tuscaloosa. Another thing working against Clemson is the absence of Dexter Lawrence. While the defense hardly missed a beat against Notre Dame without him, this is the type of game where a player of his caliber could really swing things.

There’s also a sense that Alabama can hit another gear than what it showed in a somewhat sloppy win in the Orange Bowl. That Alabama was perceived to be slightly off its game while still scoring on seven of 10 drives against Oklahoma speaks to the standard the Crimson Tide has set for itself. But with another national title on the line, the bet is Tua Tagovailoa and Co. tighten up and put up more points than Lawrence will be able to match.

Alabama 34, Clemson 28

Paul Myerberg

A matchup of what are questionably the nation's best teams will be decided by quarterback play, the pass rush and the ability to win on early downs. On paper, neither team holds a decided edge in any one area. Alabama hasn't faced a team of Clemson's caliber all season; likewise for the Tigers. Look for scoring, impact plays and enough talent to populate the upper ranges of the next handful of NFL drafts. But even in this era of powerful offenses, look for defense to carry Clemson to the national championship.

Alabama’s run as the most impressive dynasty in college football history shows no signs of ending. Nick Saban has built a fantastic machine, and then tweaked it to make it more monstrous. But over the last few years, Dabo Swinney and Clemson have closed the gap.

With Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence distributing the ball to so many fabulous toys, we’ll get another thriller worthy of the two best programs in the sport. But Clemson’s defense will make one more stop.

These two teams have been on a collision course since the preseason, so it is fitting the Crimson Tide and Tigers are here in the championship game and with both unbeaten, as well. Alabama has a different look with its offense leading the way. And while the Tide's defense has been below its high standard, the unit has been overlooked. It's still pretty good and can slow down Clemson and freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But ultimately, this comes down to Tua Tagovailoa and whether the defensive line of the Tigers can pressure the sophomore into some bad decisions. The Heisman runner-up won't be perfect, but he'll do enough to lead his team to a second title in row.

I don’t want to sound all entitled here, but as fans we’ve had to wait out a fairly lackluster regular season and another pair of drama-free playoff contests to reach this seemingly inevitable payoff. We certainly hope the game itself delivers the goods. It should, and I’d be more than a little disappointed if it doesn’t. Here’s hoping for an instant classic. I’ll go with the Crimson Tide in a close one, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it goes the other way.

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Andrew Sheriff, a quad drummer in the drumline is held upside down as he plays during the Playoff Fan Central Pep Rally in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California January 6, 2019. Ken Ruinard / staff

Andrew Sheriff, a quad drummer in the drumline is held upside down as he plays during the Playoff Fan Central Pep Rally in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California January 6, 2019. Ken Ruinard / staff

Color guard and Tiger Dancers perform with the Tiger Band during the Playoff Fan Central Pep Rally in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California January 6, 2019. Ken Ruinard / staff

The game is going to come down to two key issues, and they apply to both teams: Can your offensive line block and can your defensive backs cover? Both teams have some issues in the secondary, so there will be plays to be made if the quarterbacks have time to throw. I like the Alabama offensive line’s chances of allowing that slightly better than Clemson’s. It’s anyone’s game but Alabama will win.